Treadle



(No Model. 7

P. B. JOHNSON. TREADLB.

No. "424,444. Patented Mar. 25,1890,-

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

FRANK B. JOHNSON, OF FLATBUSl-l, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL FINANCECOMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK.

TREADLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. {124,444, dated March25, 1890.

Application filed December 11, 1889. Serial No. 333,328. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK B. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vindsor Terrace, in the town of Flatbush, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Treadles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical,and efficient spring-supported pivotally-actin g treadle for machinesdriven by foot-power, whereby the treadle can be rocked or oscillatedupon its pivots to give the desired vertical throw to the pitmanattached thereto without co mpressing the springs to their injury orcausing discomfort or fatigue to the operator, and at the same time thesprings will be compressed and will expand sufficiently under the weightof the feet and limbs of the operator and the movements and forcenaturally applied to oscillate the treadle to reduce and distributeshocks and strains attending the operation of such machines, and wherebyhorizontal and vertical movements to and from the operator are given tothe treadle, which, by changing the angle of the treadle and the pitman,greatly assist the easy and effective operation of the machine.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a plan View of a treadle and supporting-springs containingmy invention and their attachments. Fig. 2 is a sectional view throughthe line 00 m of Fig. 1, showing, also, the driving-wheel of a machine.Fig. 3 is a plan and sectional view of a modified form oftreadle-supporting springs.

In the drawings, A represents a treadle of substantially the usualconstruction for footpower machines.

B B are coiled springs located at or near the ends of treadle A andhaving one of their ends loosely attached to the treadle, so that it ispivoted to rock or oscillate upon these points of attachment. Thesprings B B are preferably made of steel wire properly tempered andspirally coiled, and they are conveniently attached to the treadle A byshouldered screws 0, inserted through eyes formed at the end of eachspring and screwed into the treadle, the eyes of the springs being heldloosely between the head of the screws and the treadle, thus pivotingthe treadle upon the springs. The pivotal points are preferably at aboutone-third the width of the treadle, the lesser part of the treadle asdivided by the line of oscillation being toward the operator. Theopposite ends of the springs B B are fixed to the frame of the machine,conveniently to a rigid rod or bar D, connecting the standards thereof.This union is conveniently made by inserting the ends of the springsint-o holes bored through the rod D and fixing them in position byriveting or bending, or by any other desirable means. a The rod D isrigidly attached to the frame of the machine.

The treadle A, as will be observed, is supported wholly by the springs BB and is free to move in any direction in which it is can ried by theaction of the springs, either V81 tically or horizontally that is, toand from the operator. It is especially noticed that the attachments ofthe springs to the treadle are at a considerable distance from and in alateral direction to the axes of the springs, or, in other words, theyare outside of a vertical plane passing through the axes of the springs,and that consequently whenever the springs are contracted or'expandedthe treadle, through its attachment to the ends of the springs, will bemoved in a horizontal direction, or to or from the operator. stance,when the springs are compressed the points of attachment and oscillationare lowered, and the treadle A and the lower end of the pitman attachedthereto will be moved horizontally or laterally by reason of theswinging of the ends of the springs attached to the treadle on theiraxes as centers while the springs are being compressed. When thepressure is removed or relaxed, as is the case with each revolution ofthe driving-wheel, and the contracted springs expand, the points ofattachment are moved upward and. at the same time horizontally, and thetreadle Aand the lower end of the pitman are also moved in a horizontaldirection, or in a reverse direction to their movement when the springswere being compressed. The advantages resulting from these horizontalmovements of the treadle consist largely in changing the For inanglebetween the treadle and the pitman at the proper times to assist theupper end of the pitman to pass its dead-centers. It is also true thatthe vertical and horizontal yielding movement of the treadle preventsshocks and strains to the operator and relieves the limbs by permittinga constant change of position and straightening thereof, thus overcomingthe cramping of the ankle-joints and other annoying and injuriouseffects resulting from a fixed or unyielding position or movement of thetreadle. These advantages will be fully recognized and appreciated bythose skilled in the art of treadle-power.

. The drawings show the springs as pivotally attached to the treadle andfixedly secured to the rod D. It is evident, however, that thisarrangement could easily be reversed and the springs be fixedly securedto the treadle and pivoted to the bar D or other part of the frame ofthe machine; also, that the springs could be fixedly secured to both thetreadle and the rod D and the ends of this rod be journaled in the frameto give the required oscillation. This I regard as simply a mechanicalchange of arrangement without in any substantial particular departingfrom the principle of myinvention.

I do not desire to limit my invention to theuse of springs of anyspecial construction or shape or to any special arrangement of thesprings in relation to the treadle or the place or manner of theirattachment thereto, or to other parts of the machine, further than thatthe treadle shall be pivoted so that it is free to rock or oscillate andshall be supported upon springs. The form of spring F shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, which is a spirallyooiled spring slipped upon the rod Dand secured thereto by a screw or other means and pivotally attached tothe treadle, may be used to advantage. Many other forms of springsvariously attached to the treadle and other parts of the machines can beemployed to fulfill the conditions of my invention.

. I am aware that there are descriptions of treadles supported upon thelower ends of vertically-suspended spirally-coiled springs.

Insuch constructions the expansion and con traction of the springscarries the treadle only in a vertical direction and fails to accomplishone important result which I accomplish by my inventionviz., to give ahorizontal or lateral movement to the treadle and the foot of the pitmanattached thereto at the same time the treadle is oscillated to give thedesired vertical throw to the pitman.

I am also aware of descriptions in which treadles have been supportedupon springs attached near the heel part of the treadle or foot-sandals;but in these constructions the springs are rigidly, not pivotally,secured to the treadle and the treadle cannot be rocked or oscillatedexcept as the springs are bent and compressed, and I fail to see how thenecessary range of movement in the treadle to give the desired throw tothe pitman can be obtained without the intervention of other devices orthe exertion of such force by the operator as would result in greatfatigue and discomfort.

The advantage of spring supported and pivotally-operatin g treadles ascompared with those which are sprin -supported but not pivoted, or thosewhich are pivoted but not spring-supported, are obvious and important.In those which are simply spring-supported the springs must becompressed sufiiciently to give the desired throw to the pitman, andthis soon weakens or sets the springs or wearies the operator. supportedand pivotally-operating treadles the pitman can be attached directly tothe treadle, and the range of vertical movement necessary to give thedesired throw to the pitman is easily secured by rocking or oscillatingthe treadle upon the pivots without the application of force sufficientto weaken the springs or cause discomfort or fatigue to the operator. Atthe same time the springs, under the weight of the feet and limbs of theoperator and the force naturally applied to oscillate the treadle, arebrought into action sufficiently to give the desired horizontal orlateral movements to the treadle and its attached pitman and at the sametime to reduce and distribute the shocks and strains and give thedesired relief and comfort to the operator.

hat is claimed as new is 1. The combination of a treadle andspringconnections pivotally supporting the same from the frame of themachine, the springs being secured to the frame and to the treadle byfixed attachments at one of their ends and by pivotal attachments attheir other ends, whereby the contraction and expansion of the springswill give to the treadle combined vertical and horizontal movements, asand for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a treadle and supporting-springs, the springsbeingpivotally secured at one of their ends to the treadle, while theiropposite ends are fixed to the frame of the machine,'whereby thecontraction and expansion of the springs will give to the treadlecombined vertical and horizontal movements, as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The combination of a treadle and supporting-springs, the springsbeing secured to the frame of the machine and to the treadle by fixedattachments at one of their ends and by pivotal attachments at theirother ends, the points of attachment between the treadle and the springsbeing out of a vertical plane through the axes of the springs, wherebythe contraction and expansion of the springs will move the treadlehorizontally, as and for the purpose set forth.

FRANK B. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

R0131. F. GAYLoRD, ERNEST HoPKmsoN.

By the use of spring-

